Fateful Encounter
by Razial
Summary: Xander has an encounter that changes not only his life, but the lives of his friends as well as others.
1. Chapter 1

Fateful Encounter

Author: Razial  
Beta: Hawklan

Disclaimer: I do not own Buffy the Vampire Slayer or any characters related to the show, they belong to Joss Whedon and I also do not own Charmed or any of the characters related to the show, they belong to Constance M. Burge and WB TV network.

Pairing: Xander/Prue

Summary: Xander has an encounter that changes not only his life, but the lives of his friends as well as others.

Chapter 1

(San Francisco)

Xander smiled, as he pulled into the motel's parking lot. He was happy to have reached his destination for now. His road trip so far had been very interesting and full of new insights. He had intended to heed back to Sunnydale after his car broke down, but he had decided that would have been admitting defeat. In a result to that thought he had worked at a strip joint and managed to earn enough to buy a new car and to continue his trip.

He missed his friends, but he was having way too much fun to go back just yet. He phoned Willow, Buffy and Giles regularly and kept up with what was going on in Sunnydale and the slaying.

He had shivered in horror when Giles had informed him of Anya's return, demanding to know where he was. He had immediately ordered that none of them were to tell her where he was. He had no wish or inclination of seeing Anya again. He had only gone to the prom with her as a last minute decision, as he did not want to miss it.

He planned to finally heed back to Sunnydale in a few days, after seeing what he could find in this city. He rubbed his eyes and to be truthful he was not looking forward to going back to the Hellmouth. It had been a very long and hard three years, fighting things that any sane person would flee from, but to him the fight was personal.

There was also the personal issue's the group had been through. A lot of problems, heartache and secrets had torn the group to pieces many times and he was still recovering from the last one concerning Faith.

The betrayal of the dark haired slayer had been bad for them all, but it had also raised a lot of tension between him and Buffy, as they argued over what to do. He had also not yet forgiven her and the others for not telling him of their plans to use Angel as a way of finding out who Faith was working for. He remembered that night very clearly and not once did they tell him or warn him of what was coming.

Angel had knocked him out cold and left him in the street where he could have been discovered by a vampire at anytime. He had been lucky and had woken up and quickly gone home, but he had not been idle the next day when he stormed into the library to demand answers.

Sadly answers were not forthcoming, as Buffy continued to try and force him out of the fight, only to be forced to let him help when he came up with the plan to destroy the Mayor. He shook his head wondering what awaited him when he returned. He hoped things had quieted down by the time he got back. He also hoped the left over tension with his friends would be gone, especially the tension that had grown between him and Willow.

He cursed himself for getting involved in an affair with his friend, when he had been dating Cordelia. He should have known better, but he had let his hormones get the best of him. In the end it had destroyed his relationship with Cordelia permanently and almost done the same with his friendship with Willow. When he left he had slowly been rebuilding the long standing trust he and Willow used to share.

Getting out of his car he grabbed his bags and headed to the counter to book a room for a couple of nights. He wondered how the gang was doing before wondering how Cordelia was coping on her own in LA with her plans to become an actress. He hoped they were all doing well, even Deadboy. After signing in and entering his room he collapsed onto his bed and relaxed for a minute or two.

He needed a shower and a change of clothes, and then he would heed out and find somewhere to eat, before seeing some of the sights of San Francisco. He let out a sigh before he got up and headed to the shower, intending to have fun.

(Halliwell Mansion)

Prue growled as she tried to stop the argument between Piper and Phoebe, it had been going on for the last thirteen minutes and seemed to be in no hurry to end.

She had a rising headache and she wondered if this is how Piper often felt when she and Phoebe went at it. She had noted Leo quickly orbed out leaving her to deal with it.

Finally having enough she screamed at both to quit it, before turning and storming out of the mansion. She grabbed her keys as she went out. She got into her Jeep and quickly pealed out of the driveway, headed for somewhere else, which was hopefully more peaceful.

Piper watched in surprise at Prue's exit, before looking at Phoebe who seemed just as shocked and even a little fearful at their elder sister's display of temper, but then they both knew that Prue was far more prone to anger than either of them. She could be a holy terror when she needed to be.

Piper rubbed her eyes, she felt slightly guilty at causing her sister even more trouble than she already had at the moment. Deciding not to continue the argument she headed to her bedroom to try and calm down and relax somewhat.

Phoebe went and collapsed onto the sofa, wondering in how good a mood Prue would be in when she came back. She honestly had not meant to upset her sister, but in the end she had done just that.

It had been a stupid argument to begin with, but she had gotten carried away like normal. She put the T.V. on and tried to calm down, hoping Prue would return soon, so that she could apologize to her. They did not need to be at each other's throats with the danger of the Source closing in on them. She wondered what Cole was up to, before she remembered that he was in hiding at the moment.

(Starbucks)

Xander relaxed in his chair enjoying a piece of cake along with a nice frappuccino. This place was bigger than any he had seen so far in his travels.

He had seen many branches of Starbucks all over the place and he bet the people who worked here earned good money. He finished his cake and then relaxed even more in his chair, feeling very filled from his meal. As he took a large gulp of his drink, he watched, in a little awe, as a beautiful young woman with longish black hair and enticing green eyes entered the store. She was wearing a tight black t-shirt and black jeans, which he thought in this hot weather, must be uncomfortable.

He noted that she seemed slightly pissed off, at least in his eyes. He continued to watch, as she bought herself a coffee and a sandwich, before turning to find a table. Their eyes caught and he quickly looked away, as she caught him checking her out. He hadn't meant to stare at her, but he had found it hard to look away.

Prue almost shook her head at the guy checking her out, before catching herself as she was well used to gaining male attention. The guy looked about her age, but she noted he had a weary look about him. She frowned as she took in his posture and noted he seemed to keep an eye out around his surroundings and kept his eyes to the door.

This made her wonder what he was so watchful for, before deciding a little mystery solving would help her forget the problems she currently had and so she headed for his table.

Xander almost jumped up in surprise, as the young woman came and sat down in front of him and he wondered if she was going to have a go at him for checking her out, but the look on her face was not hostile and so he relaxed slightly. He kept his guard up, as even in daylight you never knew just who or what you might run into.

Prue noted this reaction as she got comfortable and it again made her wonder why he was so alert. Most people she knew or even just passed in the street were not so aware of everything going on around them, like this guy was.

"Hey, how are you doing?" she began, hoping this guy would not turn out to be either evil, a jerk or both, as she had no mood for either of those.

"I'm fine. May I help you Miss?" Xander replied uncertainly, whilst taking time to enjoy the view, as the young woman was very beautiful.

"Not really, but seen as you were finding it so hard to look away, I thought I might save you the trouble of looking around for me, by sitting in front of you," Prue responded with a smirk, before she tucked into her sandwich.

Xander almost blushed in embarrassment at being caught out, but he managed to control himself enough not to. He sat up a little straighter in his chair and wondered how to respond.

Prue smiled, as she swallowed, at surprising the young man and noted he was looking perplexed at how to respond. This was fun she thought.

"That's nice of you, and I apologize for staring," Xander finally stated. "I was just a little taken aback by your looks. You are quite stunning," he admitted.

Prue laughed, it was at least an honest compliment and better than a lot she had been given, as this had none of the underline lust and perversion to it. She leaned back and brushed a lock of hair out of her eyes, as she looked the young man over.

"Thanks for the compliment and I forgive you for staring," Prue said, before finishing off her sandwich and then settled back. "I'm Prue and you would be?" she inquired.

"Alexander, however I go by Xander," Xander responded. "Have done since I was a kid and I met my best friend. She found Alexander to be too complicated to say at the time and so renamed me and it stuck," he added with a laugh, as he recalled the events in question. "I take it Prue is short for Prudence?" he asked to which Prue nodded in reply. "Rare name, but it suits you," he said, before he finished his cup of tea.

Prue smiled. She had to hand it to the guy, he was careful with how he said things. Clearly he had either had a very demanding girlfriend or an ex girlfriend. She began to drink her coffee as she pondered what do ask him, before deciding to get to the reason she had sat next to him.

"So is there a reason why you are so alert?" she inquired. "You seem to keep a very close eye on your surroundings," she added, at his raised eyebrow.

Xander leaned back. Surprised, that she had picked up on his now instinctive behavior. Three years of constant danger and life threatening situations had caused him to be very watchful, no matter what time of day it was and to be aware at all times.

He sometimes felt resentment towards Buffy and Giles for bringing him into this world and so changing his way of life. He knew it was wrong to blame them, as in the end he knew that it was best that they had come to Sunnydale. Without them, he and Willow may have shared Jessie's fate.

He shoved the dark thoughts away, before they could take a hold of him and concentrated on what he should say. What could he say that would not sound crazy, he wondered?

"I guess it's just kind of a habit these days. My hometown has a lot of gang problems," Xander finally responded, deciding to use the old code, the people who were in the know about vampires and demons, used. "To those of us from there it pays to be aware, especially at night," he added, fighting of a sudden chill.

"Sounds bad," Prue replied, however something seemed off about the way he said that. She felt he was telling her a slight truth, but not the whole truth.

Something in his body language when he added the word night screamed at her. He was way too tense, as if the memories were truly horrible. "Granted the city isn't without its trouble, but it is more spread out then it sounds like in your hometown," she continued. "Where exactly do you come from?" she inquired, after finishing her drink.

"Sunnydale, I am just on a road trip at the moment," Xander replied, catching the look of horror that quickly passed over Prue's face before it vanished and he tensed up more. "You know, seeing the sights and all that," he added.

Prue stared at Xander and wondered how he had survived on the Hellmouth for so long. She and her sisters had been researching a lot about their world, especially finding hot-spots of demon activity. The major one that kept popping up was the Hellmouth located in Sunnydale, California. All Leo would say when asked about it was that it was guarded by the Slayer and her friends.

This did nothing to make any of them feel safer, knowing there was an actual portal to hell out there. They thought they had enough problems dealing with the demons in the city.

The question she had raised though had been one, where the answer, Leo had given her, still chilled her even today. The question was what was so different between the Hellmouth and the Underworld?

Leo had looked at her with a grim face and answered that the Underworld was only a small holding place, where the Source and its minions resided. If the Hellmouth ever opened Lucifer and every last upper level demon on a scale they had never seen before, would escape and wipe the human race out within minutes, if they were lucky.

He had gone to say that monsters, the likes of which they had never seen before would escape. Beings that would make most people go crazy just by looking at them.

In the silence that had followed Leo's answer Piper had fallen to the sofa looking ill. Phoebe had rushed to the toilet to be sick and she had stared at the wall, wondering if the Hellmouth was so much of a threat then why were they not asked to help defend it?

It seemed like the kind of the thing the Charmed Ones would be used for.

Shaking her head she refocused on Xander, who was waiting for her response and she quickly noted he looked tenser, which meant he must have caught her reaction to the name of the place where he lived.

"A road trip sounds fun," she managed to say. "Have you been anywhere interesting?" she inquired, hoping to move the conversation onto something more normal.

"I've seen loads of things since I managed to get out of Oxnard after my car broke down. I had to work a bit to get a new car, but it was worth it," Xander replied, thankful for the shift in topic. "It has been a real eye opening experience I really do not wish to end, however I have to go home soon, as I have friends who rely on me to be around," he explained.

"Not exactly looking forward to going home either, I know the rest of the world can be just as dangerous as Sunnydale is, but for some reason I feel less confined and caged out here than I do there," he admitted, running a hand through his hair with a sigh.

Prue caught the underline weariness in his voice and could sympathies with him. She would love to be able to get away from being a witch and especially a Charmed One for a while, but she knew in her heart it wasn't likely to happen anytime soon.

Checking her watch she decided maybe it was time to wrap this up and head home. She believed she knew what Xander was hiding and what had made him so aware of things happening around him. It was a need to survive and to never be caught unaware. Something she and her sisters have had to learn very well in the last two years.

"Well, it was nice to meet you Xander, but I'm afraid I have to go. I kind of left my house a little pissed off with my sisters and now I have to go and make peace or things will just escalate," she said finally, actually finding she had calmed down a lot during the conversation.

"No problem, I understand Prue," Xander said. "It was very nice meeting you, maybe we'll run into each other again, however slim the possibilities are, as I will only be here for another four to five days, then I have to head home," he added with a smile. He felt a little let down that the meeting was cut short. "I hope things go well with your sisters," he added, as he slowly stood up.

"Thanks and you never know, we might run into each other again. I think I would like that," Prue responded. "By the way, if you really want to see something nice while you are here, I would recommend seeing the Golden Gate Bridge," she added, before she turned around and headed out of the shop with giving Xander one last smile.

She climbed into her Jeep and felt a hell of a lot better, than she had felt when she stormed out of her house. She felt ready to face her sisters once again, so she pulled out of the parking lot. She caught sight of Xander, who climbed into his own car. He paused to wave at her, before he slid into his seat and started his engine.

On the ride home she thought over what she was going to say to her sisters, once she got back home. They were close, more so now than ever before, but they still got on one another's nerves way to often.

Bringing her Jeep into the driveway, she became aware that the journey had been way too quick, but decided it was properly best to get it over with. She climbed out and headed into the mansion to find Phoebe, Piper and Leo discussing something and she instantly knew that whatever it was, it was properly demon related.

"What is it?" she asked, as she sat next to Piper and gave Leo her full attention, knowing she would have to wait to talk with her sisters about earlier today.

"There's a demon running loose killing natural born witches, no matter their age. We've been ordered by the Elders to stop it anyway we can," Leo explained. "We've already locked onto a couple of witches in the area and as soon as one is in trouble, I will orb you there to help," he added.

"That sounds good Leo. Let me just go change into something more suitable for this," Prue said, before she stood up and headed for her room.

(Nightclub)

Xander did not like the music, which was currently blasting out of the speakers in the club. It was not to his taste, but he had to say the place was much bigger than the Bronze. He was just finishing off his drink before heading back to his motel for a nice long sleep. At Prue's suggestion he had indeed gone and see the Golden Gate Bridge and he had to admit it was much more impressive than when seen on TV. The engineering genius behind it was something to see.

He had also gone on a small tour and tomorrow he planned to visit Alcatraz, having seen many programs on the famous jail, as well the wonderful movie 'The Rock,' starring Sean Connery and Nicholas Cage, he was really looking forward to see the real thing.

He finally finished his drink and took a last look around, before he headed for the exit. For a few minutes he wondered what the gang was up to tonight, before shrugging it off.

At the back of the nightclub a young dark blond haired woman was currently backing away in terror from a menacing demon. It had a horn centered on its skull and two, black as midnight, eyes that seemed to bore right through her.

It advanced on her and she screamed, which quickly alerted Xander who had just left the club, just to feel something being very wrong. The instincts he had developed in Sunnydale had him grab the stake he kept in his pocket and he ran down the alley towards the back exit.

At the same time Leo orbed in with Prue, Phoebe and Piper, ready to deal with the demon and save their fellow witch from being killed. Prue was momentarily surprised to see Xander come running onto the scene and charged straight into the demon with a stake, as his only weapon.

She watched in amazement, as he managed to deflect the demon's strike at the witch, before being sent flying into the nearby wall. She noted his stake rolled away.

Top of Form

Bottom of Form


	2. Chapter 2

Fateful Encounter Chapter 2

(P3 Nightclub)

Xander sat at the table and downed his drink in one go, as he waited for Prue and her sisters to talk, so far they had remained silent after Prue's initial outburst after they had dealt with the demon. He was still trying to work his head around the fact, that the girl he had encountered earlier that day was a powerful witch. He wondered if he was destined to always run into such strange events.

The witch they had rescued was sitting silently beside him, still coming to terms with how close she had come to being killed. He rubbed his eyes as his mind drifted back to the fight.

(Nightclub)

Xander groaned as he rolled onto his back and winced as he felt the painful scrapes he had taken from his fall. He blinked a few times, as he noticed the demon advancing on him and he quickly scrambled back to his feet. He reached out for his fallen stake and pushed himself back to his feet and put himself between himself and the unknown woman.

It was here that he first noticed the presence of Prue, along with two other women, which were no older than twenty he guessed. He was confused by their presence here, before the roar of the demon made him turn back to the fight at hand. He charged again and ducked the swing of the demon this time. He rammed his stake into its side before being belted around the face and sent flying yet again into a wall. Only this time the pain was much worse. He could only roll over and watch as Prue and her sisters attacked the demon, showing him exactly what they were doing here.

He should have guessed. Really what normal people would come to the aid of someone being attacked by a demon? They were witches and as he watched Prue raise her hand and unleash her power, he would say very powerful witches at that. He was amazed as he watched them surround the demon and cut it off from not only its target, but anyway out and began to chant a spell. This was unlike anything he had seen back in Sunnydale and he watched as the demon finally burst into flame with a roar of pain and agony which sent a chill through him before it vanished.

Silence descended as he began to push himself back up. The guy who had come with the girls came over and ran his hand over his head before he could object. He was even more amazed to feel the pain vanish, as well as to feel the cuts and scrapes he had also gotten vanish, as the guy moved the hand over his body. He could only stand up and stare, as Prue walked over to him and gave him a very uneasy look before demanding that he followed them to somewhere they could talk. He had just shrugged and nodded not really in a position to refuse.

(P3 Nightclub)

Xander shook his head and cleared the memories of the fight from his mind and concentrated on the others at the table again. He was still waiting for one of them to say anything, but so far all they did was stare at him or exchange looks between each other. The guy who had come with them, Leo he had learned was his name, had gone somewhere he did not know where, so he wondered just what he had walked into.

Prue herself was just plain confused as to what to make of Xander presence at the attack by the demon. He had come out of nowhere to help the witch it was attacking and almost was killed and most likely would have had she and her sisters not been there. The question was why had he been in the area and how had he known someone was in danger. Another one was why did he would risk his life to help when most people would have run the other way. To many questions she thought and not enough answers and Leo had yet to return from the Elders. She rubbed her head and was wondering what her sisters thought of all this.

Of course they had been curious to know how she knew the man's name and once she had told her story, as they walked to the club, they had gone quite. She could tell by the look in their eyes they were very weary of all this. To them it must seem like such a big coincidence not that she could blame them really, but for some reason deep inside her she doubted Xander was a bad guy or a demon in disguise. His use of a stake, whilst a strange weapon to wield against a demon, seemed to fit Xander. It was almost as if he had been expecting to fight something else, but what that was she could not put her finger on just yet.

Phoebe and Piper were still thinking over the possibility that Xander was a demon, sent to get close to Prue like Cole had been sent to get close to Phoebe and then kill them. They felt it was just too much of a coincidence for her to have met him that day, only for him to show up during a demon attack in time to see her use her powers. No they were beginning to believe this had all been staged. They were just waiting for Leo's return so they could act, as they sensed Prue would not share their reasoning at the moment.

Leon was just orbing into an empty toilet stall, still feeling somewhat surprised by what the Elders had to say on the matter of the stranger, as well as the witch they had rescued. He wondered how the girls would take this, as he opened the stall and walked out. He headed straight for the girls usual table, finding them sitting in silence with the witch they had rescued and Xander. As he sat down, he noted the looks Phoebe and Piper sent him, whilst Prue just looked curious. He smiled somewhat before turning to the rescued witch.

"You are safe now Tara, so relax," he said in a calming tone, causing the others to turn and really look at the witch and finally notice how nervous and scared she looked.

"This is Tara Maclay, a witch heading to Sunnydale, strangely enough in the hopes of staying hidden from her family," he told the sisters, when he noted their questioning glances.

"Why? Sunnydale it's not exactly the safest location in the world?" Xander exclaimed in shock. Shocking the sisters and Tara at the tone he used when speaking of the town.

"What, what do you mean?" Tara asked meekly, still very unsure about the company she had found herself in.

Being confronted by a demon was bad enough, but now she was facing three unknown witches and two men she was very uneasy about. Although she trusted the first one a little, as he had risked his life to save hers when the demon had shown up.

"You might as well tell them Alexander, as they will learn about it anyway," Leo said with a smile, as he turned to the younger man who looked somewhat unsure what to say.

"How do you know my name?" Xander inquired, suspicious after everything he had seen in Sunnydale. He had learnt to be very cautious.

"Part of my job and I will explain it later on, but to assure your fears Alexander we are all on the same side," Leo replied, understanding the reason for the question. "So you two can relax and stop thinking he's some demon in disguise," he added pointedly at Phoebe and Piper.

Prue was not surprised by this, as she noted her sisters exchanged surprised looks before apologizing to Xander for the assumption. She guessed after the whole Cole thing they were not willing to take some things on faith anymore. She was at least relived her first impression of him had been right and he was a good guy. That made her feel a whole lot better and she relaxed a bit more.

"Sunnydale is not a safe haven Tara," Xander's voice broke her out of her thoughts and she concentrated on what was being said. "It was built on top of an active Hellmouth by a man who wanted to ascend to a full demon, although we managed to stop him with a lot of luck on our side," he added with a grin, which looked very strained to them all. "The Hellmouth draws in a lot of demons and especially vampires, plus the odd warlock," he informed them, as he leaned back a little in his chair. "I would rethink the idea of using the town to hide, unless you are confident that you can protect yourself, because as a magic user you will draw attention," he advised.

Tara took all of this in and sat back in her chair to think it all over. She had thought Sunnydale would be the perfect place to hide from her family, but maybe she had been wrong. The idea of being on a Hellmouth was truly scary. She remembered reading about them in one of her mother's books before she had died.

The supernatural aura of a Hellmouth could be a corrupting influence on white witches and that was not something she wanted to deal with. The amount of demons and vampires would also be large, as they were attracted to the same aura.

"So that is why you were armed with a stake," Prue suddenly spoke up. "You are a vampire hunter," she added.

"I guess you could call me that," Xander said after thinking it over. "My friends and I help the Slayer and her Watcher to defend the Hellmouth as best we can. My best friend has started practicing witchcraft recently and we have werewolf in the team as well," he explained. "We did also have a second slayer in the group, but sadly she was manipulated into turning against us and is currently in a coma. I'm the normal one, but I refuse to sit back and do nothing," he continued, his tone darkening somewhat.

"You've done your fare share of amazing things Alexander, as you well know, but it is your ability as a team that has made the Hellmouth a much safer place recently," Leo pointed out. "However that will also have a down side by drawing in bigger demons wanting a challenge," he cautioned.

"I already discussed this possibility with Giles, before I left on my road trip," Xander said in agreement. "I think we can handle it, as long as our friendship and ability to work as a team holds up," he added. "We've been through a lot in recent years, but I think we are up to whatever comes next," he said as confidently as he could. "So what's your story?" He asked a few seconds later.

Prue exchanged looks with her sisters, before looking at Leo who nodded his head and indicated they should answer him. This was kinda strange, but they guessed Leo had his reasons, as did the Elders as they assumed they had given the go ahead for it.

"We're the Charmed ones," Prue said and quickly noted his blank look, clearly not recognizing the name.

Tara's eyes however widened in shock and awe, so she clearly knew about them. "We are supposed to be the three strongest white witches to ever be born and we are destined to battle evil and save the innocent," she explained, before finishing off her own drink.

"Impressive and I wonder if Willow has heard about you," Xander responded, wondering why he kept running into people like this. "As I said before, she has recently begun to study and learn witchcraft, so maybe she knows about you," he added.

"You should tell your friend to be careful Alexander. Prue and her sisters and even Tara are natural born witches and hence their control and connection to their powers is great, however Willow is nothing more than a practitioner and hence her control is weak and can easily be corrupted, should she over reach herself," Leo warned him seriously.

"I already did Leo, as did Giles, but whether she listens or not is another thing entirely," Xander said with a sigh. "She's a smart person and always succeeded at what she's attempted and so if she thinks she can do magic, she will," he added.

"That's a bad idea" Tara spoke up for the first time in a while. "If she uses spells she's not ready for, it will be dangerous not just for her, but whoever is around her at the time," she added, to which the sisters nodded their heads in agreement.

"I can only try and make her slow down," Xander replied. "So what do we do now?" he asked, changing the topic, as he did not like where this one was going and the picture it painted.

"Well Tara is safe for now, but it is possible that another demon may try and get at her, so I suggest she stays with us for a bit, until we can work out what she wants to do," Piper replied, allowing the subject change. "The question is. What are you going to do?" she asked Xander.

"Continue to enjoy the city, before heading home," Xander replied dryly. "I will not be forced home early by some demons," he added.

"Then I suggest you keep an eye out, as this city seems to have its fair share in demons running around," Phoebe added, as she got up as did Piper, Leo and finally Tara at their urging. "Prue you coming?" she asked, as she noted she had not stood up.

"No, I'm staying out for a bit," Prue responded, not wanting to go home right now, as with the demon problem dealt with she remembered why she had bumped into Xander in the first place. She wanted to hold off the inevitable conversation until tomorrow at the least and she was interested in learning more about Xander and what he had gone through.

Phoebe just shrugged and then headed out with Piper, Leo and Tara following behind her.

Xander watched them go and wondered what Tara would decide to do now that she knew how dangerous Sunnydale, her original destination, was. Finally he turned back to Prue, before asking if she wanted another drink. Prue nodded and he went to the bar and ordered another round.

After sitting back down, they began to talk about their various adventures and close calls, both were impressed by the things they had come across and survived. It was a strange realization that there were others out there doing the same thing they did. It made them have a bigger view of the fight at large. It also made sense that they were not alone in the war, as no matter how good they were or how skilled, they could not deal with every threat in the world. They continued to talk not just about the darkness they fought, but also soon about themselves.

They continued to buy rounds of drinks for each other and danced from time to time.

Xander was surprised to learn Piper owned the club and was impressed by how good it was. Unlike the previous club he had been in, this one had a decent band on stage performing live.

Prue was a great dancer and he made sure not to move around to much and just to do something that made her look good. He had learned in the last year how to dance better, so he did not look like an idiot. He put it to good use here and enjoyed each dance he and Prue shared.

As the night wore on, he did not let his guard down and kept an eye out for any vampires in the club, however he was surprised to see none at all. He wondered if the fact that the club was owned by a Charmed one made it safe from them entering it, maybe as some kind of home ground.

(Halliwell Mansion)

Tara could barely believe she had been rescued by the Charmed ones. Her mother had used to tell her stories of the fabled trio to come. It was a well known legend in magical circles and she had read the books her mother had on them, but to actually meet them was huge.

She felt very safe in the manor, as she could feel the white magic which swirled around it. Clearly a lot of protective spells had been placed around it over the years. The fact she was going to be staying here for a time was even more surreal to her, but she was thankful considering what had happened that night. Just replaying the scene in her head was enough to scare her.

She accepted the cup of tea Piper offered her and just listened, as the sisters and their whitelighter discussed not only their options, but also more about Sunnydale, the Hellmouth and the Slayer. She took in everything that was said about the town, so she could later on decide what she would do. At least she was now forewarned about the dangers before she had actually arrived.

(Xander's Hotel Room)

Xander was somewhat still wondering how Prue and he had ended up in his hotel room, making out like there was no time left in the world. Not that he was really complaining, they had drunk quite a bit he recalled, in between a lot of dancing and he guessed things had gotten out of hand, but Prue had started this and until she stopped he wouldn't either. Prue was of a likewise mind, as she was looking for a release from the pressures and danger of her life. Her responsibilities always seemed to keep her from getting further along in the romance department, so for once she was just going to throw caution to the wind and indulge herself.

Since Andy's death, she had little companionship and she at least knew that Xander was a good guy who she did not need to fear, so having sex with him did not seem like such a big mistake she thought, as she fell onto his bed and watched as he removed his t-shirt before joining her.

Removing her jumper and bra she quickly fell back into kissing and groping, as time passed they quickly stripped the rest of their clothes. She groaned as Xander kissed his way up her chest before he began alternating sucking and nicking her nipples and breasts. She wrapped her legs around him, locking him in place once he entered her.

He quickly turned them over so she was on top and she quickly began moving, meeting his thrusts with her own as they went. She moaned in pleasure as he played with her breasts leaning up every now and then to suck them. She enjoyed this, as they increased the tempo and she felt free for the first time in a long while. For once doing what she wanted and not what was needed. She leaned down and captured Xander's lips in a scorching kiss, as they twisted again and she found herself below him, but continued to meet his thrusts.

This continued for another ten minutes as they always slowed down as they neared their climax before giving in to the desire to finish it. They moved as fast and hard as they could and before long, both cried out as they reached their climax a few minutes later. By this point she was again on top of him and she collapsed onto his chest and lay content in his arms, which he wrapped around her. It was only as she drifted off to sleep that she realized that they had not used any protection, but by then it was too late and she fell into a peaceful slumber.

It was the same with Xander, who was also just falling asleep before the point came to him, but he was too exhausted to do anything. He knew they couldn't undo what they had had done and so for now let it go and fell asleep.


	3. Chapter 3

Fateful Encounter Chapter 3

(Xander's flat, Sunnydale 3 weeks later)

Xander woke up from his dream, feeling annoyed and sorrowful at having to leave Prue. Their one night stand might truly had led somewhere, but he had stated he needed to get back and help guard the Hellmouth and she had understood that and even admitted admiring his loyalty to his friends. They promised to stay in touch, which they had so far. However he still wondered what could have been. His mind turned back to the day after the one nightstand.

(Xander's hotel room, flashback)

Xander awoke to the feeling of someone hugging his side. He opened his eyes to find Prue there and the events of the night before came back to him in very vivid details, as did the pain from the hangover he now had. He remained as still as he could, as he looked over Prue's peaceful form wondering how the hell he had gotten so lucky.

Then the fact they'd had unprotected sex hit him again and he desperately hoped there would be no fallout from that, as he did not think he was up to being a good father at this point in time. He would have to discuss this with Prue before he headed home, which he planned to do in a week or so as he was beginning to worry about his friends.

Finally Prue began to wake up groaning, as she did so and he guessed she too had a nasty hangover from their heavy night of drinking. He smiled, as she opened her eyes and noted him next to her.

Prue rubbed her eyes before greeting Xander, whilst trying to ignore the pain of her hangover. Not that Xander looked any better. They had drunk quite a lot last night. She rolled into a sitting position and tried to stop her head spinning. The memories of last night were also playing in her head, including a very important fact and she could not believe she had gotten so drunk as to have unprotected sex. She would have to keep a close eye on herself to make sure she had not gotten pregnant. She had basically raised her sisters and did not want to go through that experience again just yet, if she could help it.

"You ok?" Xander's voice broke through her jumbled thoughts.

"I got a killer hangover and I am just realizing what we did last night," Prue added. "Not that I regret having sex, but the fact we had unprotected sex," she added quickly.

Xander groaned as he too sat up and rubbed his eyes tiredly, pleased at least that she did not regret last night. "Yeah wasn't to smart that, was it? But what's done is done," he finally said, placing a hand on her back. "We can hope there will be no consequences, but if there is, just let me know ok and we will decide what to do together," he added as serious, as he could make himself sound and he meant what he said. He may not think he could be a good father right now, but that did not mean that he would run from the responsibility if it happened.

Prue turned to look at him and was at least thankful he was not acting freaked out and was trying to be mature about it. "How old are you Xander?" she asked.

"I turned twenty a few months ago," Xander replied. "It seems there was some kind of mistake on my birth certificate when I was born and I ended up with the wrong age. It finally got straightened out at the end of last year, but by then the damage was done and so I finished school, which I should have done two years ago," he said with a very put out look. "Granted I would not change what happened if I could, as thanks to that error I met Buffy and learned the truth of the world and am now involved in doing something that whilst dangerous is a very good thing," he finished.

Prue was at least relieved the age difference was not so big after all. "I am twenty seven. A seven year difference is not so bad," she replied with small smile, before wincing from pain as she tried to get up, but failed. "I don't suppose you have any pain killers do you?" she asked.

"Yeah I have some in my bag. I keep some on me at all times these days, just in case I run into something and get hurt," Xander replied, forcing himself to his feet and moving for his bag. He retrieved the bottle of pain killers, before he headed to the bathroom to get a glass of water and then he handed both to Prue.

"Thanks," Prue said, as she took two pills and then swallowed them along with some water. Then she handed the glass to Xander, who did the same before he sat back down and put the glass on the near by nightstand.

"So want to go get some breakfast?" he asked, after a few minutes silence.

"Sure, I could do with a good meal and then I will have to check in with my sisters," Prue answered, but was not looking forward to that as she knew both Piper and Phoebe would be very interested in where she was last night.

(Xander's flat, Sunnydale)

Xander shook the memories off, as he got up and headed for the shower to get ready for the day. He was still looking for work at the moment, but was not having much luck, but he was sure he would find something. Ten minutes later he stepped out and changed before heading for his kitchen to grab a quick meal. He was supposed to meet Giles at his new magic shop he had bought, whilst he had been away.

Buffy and Willow were at university, so he would not see them until much later on in the day. He wondered briefly how Tara was getting on in San Francisco, as she had decided to stay and help the Charmed ones anyway she could.

She had enrolled at the same university Phoebe was currently attending and the last he heard she was doing quite well. He did not begrudge her deciding to stay away from the Hellmouth and if he was honest with himself he envied her. As he turned to leave after eating his breakfast, he paused in surprise as he saw the now familiar pillar of lights appear before they turned into Leo Wyatt and Piper. He was very worried that Prue was not with them.

"Hey guys, it's good to see you," he said as casually as he could. "Is something wrong?" he asked.

"We need you to come with us back home to talk to Prue," Piper said, still feeling very annoyed with her elder sister for forcing her to go behind her back and bring Alexander, as she called him, to her. "She would have come herself, but she's been stubborn and refused to come so I'm forcing the issue," she added.

Xander frowned, before he picked up the near by phone and called Giles to let him know he would be late to their meeting, before he headed over to Leo and Piper and then was orbed out.

(Halliwell mansion)

Phoebe waited in the living room for Piper and Leo to return with Xander. Prue was currently out with Tara, who was distracting her so she would not know what they had planned. Finding out that their eldest sister was pregnant had been shocking news, no more than the actual story of how it had happened and who the father was. This was not something either she or Piper had expected from Prue.

Still in the end, once learning all the facts and coming to terms with the knowledge that, in nine months, they would have a niece or nephew to care for, they had asked Prue when she intended to inform Xander that he was to be a father.

For some reason Prue had refused to tell him and even in the arguments that followed, she just would not relent. In going to Sunnydale with Leo to let Xander know, they guessed she was scared or maybe just very reluctant so they were going to make it so, that she could no longer avoid the subject by bringing Xander back here.

She looked up as Leo orbed in with Piper and Xander who looked quite confused, so clearly Piper had not told him the news and now they just needed Prue. As if to answer her prayers, she heard the front door open and Prue and Tara returned home. She took a deep breath knowing Prue was going to explode, once she saw Xander, but this was for the best.

A few seconds later Tara entered first, with a welcoming smile for Xander who returned it and then finally Prue walked in before coming to a complete stop, as she noted Xander's presence. Xander gave a small wave and a smile, but Prue just stared at him.

"So, what exactly is this all about?" Xander asked, as he looked around from the stunned Prue to the anxious Piper and Phoebe and finally the calm Leo and Tara.

"You and Prue need to have a very long talk," Phoebe finally responded. "It is important and neither of you are leaving until it is done," she added, noted the glare Prue directed at her, but she ignored it. "We'll be upstairs if you need us," she added, before she led the others out of the room.

Xander was really beginning to get annoyed at this, because whilst he was being told he needed to talk to Prue and that it was important, no one was saying why and from the look on Prue's face, she was reluctant to start.

He was at least pleased nothing seemed wrong with Prue, but clearly something was bothering her, as she began to pace up and down, glancing at him every now and then. He ran a hand through his hair, before taking a seat and just waited. He knew she would eventually start and there was no rush he thought.

Prue could not believe her sisters and Tara had gone behind her back like this and brought Xander here, basically ensuring she would have to confess that she was pregnant with his child.

She had been avoiding this moment as much as possible, out of fear of being rejected no matter what he had told her the day after they had sex and in addition she was worried considering that he was only twenty years old and had told her how unsure he was about being a father at the moment.

She had not wanted to drop this on him, even though she knew in her heart she had to do it. She guessed she could not avoid it anymore and so she finally took a seat across from him and prepared to tell him the news that would change his life.

"I'm sorry, I've been avoiding this for at least a week and a half, since I found out the truth and I guess I didn't know how to tell you," she began, making Xander frown as he tried to work out what was wrong. "I began getting sick two weeks ago at odd intervals and after first thinking I was just ill, another thought hit me and I quickly headed for the nearby pharmacy to buy something to confirm my theory and it turned out to be true," she explained.

Xander shifted a little in his seat a little, as he began to get a very real idea where this was going. He did not know how he truly felt at the moment, but he guessed her next words would show that.

"Xander, I'm pregnant and the baby is yours," Prue finally told him, after taking a deep breath. She felt a wave of relief sweep through her, as she finally told him the news.

Xander felt as if he had been hit by a Mack truck, as Prue confirmed his growing realization, as to what was going on. He leaned back in his seat and wondered how he was going to deal with this. He wouldn't run, he had promised he would stand by her if there had been repercussions from their one nightstand and he intended to keep that promise, but he felt a lot of fear and uneasiness at knowing he was going to be a father.

He did not know how or even if he could be a good father considering how he was raised, but he would do the best he could. This raised a lot of questions and he would need to discuss this with Giles first. His need for a good job was even more important now, but the biggest point was could he afford to stay in Sunnydale, knowing this? Was it even possible Prue was looking for something long term from him?

"I know this changes everything for both of us Xander and we have a lot to talk about, but one thing I have to say is that I refuse to get rid of this baby," Prue's serious tone as she spoke up again broke though the raging maelstrom in his head.

"I wouldn't ask you to Prue," he assured her. "My only question at the moment is, are you looking for something long term from me or do you want me to stay away?" he asked as clearly as he could.

Prue looked him in the eye for a few moments, as she tried to work out what he was asking, before it became clear to her. He was asking whether she wanted to try to form a relationship. That was not something she had considered since learning the news, but the fact that he had asked showed he was willing and maybe even hopeful.

If they could become a couple, then having and raising a kid would be much easier than being single, but could she ask him to move here to try to form something? Did she have the right to ask him to give up helping the Slayer to defend the Hellmouth? She guessed in the end she did, but could she?

"I wouldn't mind trying to form something between us. I know we both felt there was a connection between us after that night and that the only reason it didn't go anywhere was because you needed to go home and help your friends," Prue finally answered. "I know it is a lot to ask, but would you consider moving to San Francisco to try?" she inquired.

There it was plain as day, the biggest question had been asked. Would he leave Sunnydale, as well as his friends behind for this? He knew he would have to, as there was no way he could leave Prue to care for and raise this kid on her own. He would have to tell the girls and Giles he was leaving and the reason why.

Maybe Giles could help him find a place to buy and even help him sort out his money and job problems. No matter how much it would hurt leaving Buffy and Willow, he had new responsibilities that came before anything else.

"I would consider it, but first I will have to talk to Giles and inform the gang about this. I will need a flat and a job and Giles maybe able to help me find both, considering some of the contacts he has," Xander finally replied. "This will not be done quickly and I know we have a lot more to discuss and go through, but for now I need to process this," he added as he stood up.

Prue stood up also, pleased by his response and understanding that he needed time to go through all this. She'd had that time and she would not begrudge him his time. Their lives would be vastly different from this point forward. Xander took her in the arms and hugged her for a while and then she called Leo down and watched, as he and Xander vanished. She was joined a few minutes later by her sisters and Tara.

"How did it go?" Piper inquired weary of her sister's reaction for them forcing her hand.

"Better than I would have expected, but we still have a lot to talk about," Prue answered. "He just needs time to truly come to terms with this news and what it will mean for both of us," she added.

"I wonder what mom and gramps think about this," Phoebe mused, as she was sure the two spirits continued to keep an eye on them.

(Xander's flat, Sunnydale)

Leo released Xander and watched, as the young man took a seat and then rubbed his face and eyes before focusing on him. He wondered how this would all turn out. No one had seen this coming, especially not the elders or even the oracles. Prue being pregnant was big news and so far no one in the underworld was aware of this and that was how they wanted it to stay as long as possible.

The fact that the father was a defender of the Hellmouth was also news and Xander himself was well thought of for his actions so far, but it would seem his biggest challenge was just about to start and he hoped he was up to it.

"You okay Alexander?" he inquired.

"It's just a lot to take it, but yeah I'm okay," Xander answered. "I just have a lot to do and two major problems to solve to be an effective father and to support Prue and our child," he added, running a hand through his hair.

"I'll talk to the elders and see if they can't help out a little," Leo told him, placing a calming hand on his back. "I know exactly what has you so worried, but go ahead and talk to Giles and see what you can come up with and don't think for a minute you are abandoning Buffy and the others. We both know, that if they need you I can bring you here to help, but your main priority has to be Prue and your child right now," he advised him.

"Yeah you're right and thanks Leo," Xander replied with a small smile, as Leo nodded his head and orbed out, intent on talking to the elders and the others about this.

Xander stood up and went to his window. He stared out of it, across the town he had been born in and his mind wandered. Nothing would ever be the same again, but Leo was right. He was not running away, just reorganizing his main priority.


	4. Chapter 4

Fateful Encounter Chapter 4

(Magic Box)

Rupert Giles continued to look over his new store, marking down what needed to be done to reopen the Magic Box. He had grown very weary of having nothing to do since they had blown up the High School, whilst taking down the Mayor. He had not been contacted about becoming the librarian for the new school that been built to quickly replace the old one. He doubted even if he had, that he would have agreed to take the job, as he had grown to dislike it in that last year.

Owning a magic shop was something he felt would give him a new challenge and with his experience in magic he felt he could truly make this shop work. It would also give him a solid income and a place for the group to meet to discuss any threats to the Hellmouth. With Buffy and Willow in university most of the time, he had even less to do than before. Xander was trying to find a job and had agreed to help him with the shop, until he had located something.

Cordelia had left Sunnydale for LA to try to make a bid to become an actress and whilst he wished her luck, he seriously doubted she would make it.

Oz was also at the same university as the girls, but he spent a lot of his time with his band much to Willow's annoyance. Angel was also gone from Sunnydale and was no longer a risk and temptation for Buffy, although his help would be missed in dealing with the various threats to them and the Hellmouth.

Hearing the door open broke him from his thoughts and he turned to see Xander walk in and from the looks of him he was very nervous and tense, which confused him a bit. He wondered what was wrong, because when he had talked to Xander earlier in the day he had sounded fine and his usual cheerful self.

"Good morning Xander," he said, as he watched him shut the door and lock it, before moving over to the broken table and the only two standing chairs and sat down: "I take it something has happened?" he asked, as he took the other seat.

"Something big Giles and not something I expected," Xander replied, as he ran a hand through his hair nervously. He did not know how to begin and he also did not want Giles to be disappointed in him. "It goes back to my road trip. When I reached San Francisco, I ended up in a situation where I bumped into some truly amazing people," he began. "We all turned up at the scene of a demon attack on a witch. The strange thing is I had already met one of the people involved earlier in the day," he explained, before looking up and locking eyes with his mentor. "Giles does the name the Charmed Ones mean anything to you?" he asked.

Giles stared in amazement as Xander asked his question, because he did indeed know the name and the legends and myths surrounding it, three witches born to become the greatest white witches in the world, who would defend the innocent and fight the darkness. He had read many things on them and even once tried to locate them, as had the council, but they had never succeeded. The idea that Xander had stumbled upon them on his road trip was something he found hard to believe and yet he remembered how it was Xander, who had been the first of the group to discover Buffy's role as the Slayer and his as her Watcher and how he had immediately, upon learning the truth of the world, pushed to be a part of it and to help. So it was not to far of a stretch and yet he found it odd that he would be in such a perfect place to once again meet such a force, meant to defend the world from the horrors trying to destroy it.

"Yes I know about the Charmed Ones Xander," he finally replied, as he noted the younger man become a bit more agitated at his silence. "Are you telling me you met them?" he asked, as he settled back in his chair.

"Yes I am Giles. At the time I had no idea who they were, just that they were witches, who were there for the same reason I was, to help the witch being attacked by a demon," Xander responded. "And yet I noted how powerful they were, but I think I was still to surprised to see the person, I had been talking to earlier in the day, was in fact a witch and knew the truth about demons and vampires," he added with a dry chuckle.

"This is an amazing thing Xander. Do you realize how many people, the Council and myself included, have searched for the Charmed Ones and failed and yet here you come and walk right into them, without even trying," Giles interrupted him, but was quickly cut off by Xander.

"Giles, the Council must never learn where they are. Do you understand me?" He stated in the most dangerous tone he could manage, so Giles knew he was serious. "The Charmed Ones are not here for the Council to try and rule them, as we both know they would attempt to do and I will not put them at risk," he added.

Giles caught himself as he realized Xander was indeed very correct about what the Council would attempt to do, if they knew where the fabled Charmed Ones where located. He also had to remember he was no longer a member of that group, having been fired for his growing feelings towards Buffy, which in their eyes were wrong.

"Of course, I forgot myself for a minute," he stated. "I assure you Xander, that I will tell no one of this, especially not someone connected to the Council," he assured him, to which Xander nodded.

"After dealing with the demon and being healed by Leo, their Whitelighter, we got to talking at their club and we both learned each other's stories. The bigger surprise was, that the witch we had rescued was planning to come here to hide from her family," Xander continued with his story. "I explained the dangers of Sunnydale to them all and I think she seriously reconsidered her plan and chose to remain in San Francisco to help the Charmed Ones," he added.

"I take it, she was natural born witch?" Giles inquired, a little disappointed a possible ally had been lost, but he knew that the Hellmouth badly affected natural born witches and could twist them into the exact opposite.

"She was Giles and she did not want to take the risk of being twisted inside by the Hellmouth's aura and to be honest we had no right to ask her to risk it," he answered.

"I quite agree," Giles nodded and truly was not surprised to see Xander once again thinking of someone else's wellbeing, before his own. It was something he had become used to seeing from him. "So what has you so tense about meeting the Charmed Ones?" he finally asked, as he was sure something had been left out so far.

"After the long talk two of the Charmed Ones, who by the way are all sisters, left with Tara and Leo to continue their talk. I stayed behind with the eldest sister, who had been the person I had bumped into earlier that day," Xander replied, really hoping Giles would be understanding about this and would not feel disappointed in his actions. "We spent the rest of the night talking, dancing and I'm sorry to say drinking. In the end we got so wasted that we did something that was clearly stupid and wrong, but at the time unavoidable," he continued.

Giles removed his glasses and began to polish them, as he began to suspect what had transpired that night between Xander and the eldest Charmed One, especially from the look on his friend's face. He began to suspect big changes were on the horizon and he did not know how the girls would react to this.

"Prue and I headed back to my motel and ended up having sex without any protection," Xander finally stated. "I know Giles, before you say it, that it was stupid of me to get so drunk and irresponsible, but it just happened," he added quickly, as Giles went to respond. "We thought we'd been lucky and there would be no consequences to our actions, but I made sure she knew that if she had ended up pregnant to call me and let me know, so that we could work through it together," he explained. "I still have doubts about my ability to be a father at the moment, but I would be damned if I ran from such a responsibility," he added.

"Xander are you telling me that not only did you get a girl pregnant after a one night stand, but that she was one of the Charmed Ones?" he asked, as he stood and began to pace. He was wondering about how on Earth Xander could find himself in such a situation.

"Yes Giles I am. I was surprised today when Piper, the middle sister, and Leo orbed in and then took me back to their place to meet with Phoebe, the youngest sister," Xander answered. "All they would tell me was that I needed to talk to Prue and so I did. She admitted she was three weeks pregnant and had held of telling me out of fear and because she was unsure that she had any right to ask me to leave my life here behind me and to move to San Francisco to help her," he added, standing up himself.

"I repeated my stance that I would not run from this. Yes I am shocked by the situation, but the only down side at the moment is I have no job to support either of them and I need to find an apartment in San Francisco so that I can try and build a relationship with Prue and not just because we're having a baby, but also because we both felt we connected on a deeper level than just a one night stand. The only reason I came back, was my loyalty and friendship with you and the others and my commitment in keeping the Hellmouth shut," he explained.

Giles looked his young friend in the eye and could see he was telling him the truth. Clearly his meeting with the eldest Charmed One could have turned out to be something more, had he not been so loyal to them and his need to help in keeping the Hellmouth shut.

Now that he knew the problem, he could already guess why Xander had come to him first, before explaining all this to the girls and Oz. This would be big news and would forever change the group dynamics.

Xander needed a good job to help support a child and its mother and the fact that he was already thinking of this, showed he was truly committed to doing whatever he had to do to help support and raise his child.

This impressed him greatly, as he had not expected him to be ready for this kind of responsibility and the same could be said for the others in the group. Clearly he had been wrong or maybe had just not read the young man correctly.

"Giles, I was hoping you may have some contacts which could help me locate a decent job in San Francisco, as well as an apartment I can afford to stay in," Xander finally told him. Verifying what he had already guessed was his reason for coming here first.

"I'll make some calls Xander and see what I can sort out, but this will take some time, so I suggest you sit down and think of how to break this news to the others, as I assure you this will be a big surprise to them," Giles assured him, clapping him on the shoulder in reassurance, before he headed for the counter, which held the phone. Thankfully it was still connected.

Xander sat back down and stared at the window, as he pondered how to tell Buffy, Willow and Oz about this.

(Whitelighter realm)

Leo sat down as he went over the many things had he learned from the Elders. As he had suspected they had not expected this and they did not know how it would play out. It seemed the meeting of Prue and Xander was sending ripples out that would change how things would play out and whilst not exactly a bad thing, it seemed the Elders were unsure how to really view it.

The child would be a powerful addition to the Charmed line and would gain not just access to the powers of the Charmed line, but the hidden abilities that lay dormant in Xander from his two possessions over the years. These abilities included greater speed, strength and senses from the Hyena and the child would gain a very good memory and perfect recall from the solider spirit.

The only reason they lay dormant in Xander was that he kept them contained, without even realizing that he was doing it. It seemed the changes evoked by these events in his life had changed him on the inside and yet he held these changes back.

He would have to talk to Xander and Prue about this sometime, as they needed to be aware of this. The Elders had also mentioned the child could also gain another power from the mixed bloodlines, but they were not sure what it would be. He wondered how the sisters would deal with having a child to care for and it made him wonder if Piper would ever want a child with him. Maybe he could discuss the idea with her, once they had Prue and Xander sorted out.

Another thing he would have to discuss with them was the Elders decision to assign a whitelighter to Tara and in a way to Xander, so he himself would not be too overworked. At the moment he did not know who had been chosen, but he was sure he would find out soon.

(San Francisco University)

Tara smiled happily to see Phoebe as she sat down to eat her lunch. Since joining the same university as the youngest Halliwell, they had begun to have lunch together. She loved spending time with Phoebe, who she got on with very well, even better than with Piper or Prue. She had to admit she had developed an attraction to Phoebe and it was growing daily, but she was very unsure what to do about it.

At the moment Phoebe was still getting over learning that her previous boyfriend had been a half demon assassin sent to kill her and her sisters. Even with the fact that this Cole had not followed through with his orders, out of real love for Phoebe, his actions had hurt her badly.

She also did not know how Phoebe would react if she came onto her, but she decided to give it more time and see what happened. Maybe she would be lucky enough that Phoebe would not be against such a proposal, as going out with her. She knew from their talks about their pasts that Phoebe had experimented with girls before and so was not completely straight. She hoped that if she decided to ask her out, that it would not damage her relationship with the sisters.

Phoebe also enjoyed spending time with Tara, as she found the younger girl to be fun to be around and very easy to get on with, she found herself easily talking about her past and what had transpired with Cole, which she found difficult doing with her sisters. She was also not blind to the looks Tara sometimes gave her and she could see that the younger girl was beginning to get interested in her in a more than friendly way. She did not know how to react to that at the moment, although she found herself rather flattered at the attention.

Her mind turned to Prue's situation and the knowledge that in a bit of less than nine months Piper and she would have a niece or nephew to help look after. She found herself not exactly envying her sisters predicament and knew from her own past, that it could have happened to her, but luckily for her it had not.

She wondered how Prue would deal with being a mother, although considering her eldest sister had basically raised her and Piper and whilst it had not always been easy she liked to think she had done a good job of it. When she truly considered the thought, she found herself sure Prue would be a great mother.

Across the city, in the largest graveyard of the city, Cole Turner shimmered into existence. He hoped that the large graveyard would hide his presence from the bounty hunters and hit demons the Source had sent after him since his defection and his murder of the Triad members. He knew Phoebe might not be exactly pleased by his return at first, but he was sure he could change her mind. All he really had to worry about was how Leo, Piper and especially Prue would react, once his presence was known to be back in town.

Prue had never liked him and since learning the truth of who and what he was that distrust and dislike had increased. A part of him knew it was out of fear for Phoebe, but sometimes he found it just annoying. Prue would be his biggest deterrent in getting close to Phoebe again, he was sure and Piper and Leo would follow her lead.

(Sunnydale, Magic Box)

Buffy Summers and Willow Rosenberg entered the magic shop Giles had bought. They were talking about their classes and how the day had gone for them. Oz soon followed them inside, after making sure he had locked his van up.

They found Xander already inside, staring out of a window and he seemed so be so preoccupied that he did not even noticed their presence. Giles, they noticed was at the counter flipping through a book, before he noted their entrance and put the book down. He indicated for them to take a seat. They picked up some of the fallen chairs and soon they were all seated, including Xander who looked tired and weary.

"So Giles what's up?" Buffy asked. "Do you found a new problem for us to deal with?" she added, always ready to deal with a demon.

Granted her first few days at university had not been easy and after her defeat by Sunday she had begun to fear she would not be able to deal with the changes in her life, but with help from her friends, including a pep talk from Xander over the phone, had gotten her back on track. She had gone out, staked Sunday and her gang of lackeys, before dealing with a demon who had been trying to suck her soul out.

Now she was more certain of her continued role as the Slayer and guardian of the Hellmouth and since Xander had finally returned from his road trip, things had seemed to be even more like they had before.

Granted she missed Angel and even Cordelia, but it was no longer as painful as before and she suspected she was finally ready to move on with her life.

"I'm afraid this is not as simple as some random demon or vampire Buffy," Giles replied. "What I am about to discuss with you will have far reaching consequences for us and the others involved in our group, so please pay attention," he added.

It had been agreed Giles would explain the situation to the girls and Oz, so that they would not immediately explode at the news. Xander just hoped it would work, as he was looking forward to Buffy and Willow's responses to this even less than he had been about Giles response to it. Oz he doubted would say much, as he was not prone to overreaction. He may actually look surprised, but that would be the extent of his reaction.

He listened and watched as Giles explained the situation, cutting off Buffy's attempt at yelling at him. He noted that, as Giles went on, Buffy seemed to calm down somewhat, as did Willow, who whilst looking shocked did not look as upset as he had expected her to be.

Only when it was revealed that he would be leaving the Hellmouth and move to San Francisco to be closer to Prue and their child did Buffy and Willow explode in shock, a little anger and in Buffy's case a small sense of betrayal at his leaving.

Oz looked surprised, but Xander also noted a look of respect in the musician's eyes and he guessed it had to do with owning up to his responsibility to Prue and their unborn child. He was thankful for that and quickly stood up and attempted to speak. Only when Giles finally shouted for Buffy and Willow to be quite and listen, did he try again.

"Buffy I am not leaving you, at least not completely," he assured his friend. "If you need me, all you will need to do is call Leo and he will bring me here, but my priority has to be Prue and our child," he added. "We're going to have a child together and it would be best if we could build a proper relationship together, before he or she is born and so I am going," he explained. "Giles has managed, through his contacts, to find me not only a small one bedroom apartment I can live in close to the mansion, but also a decent job in the area of construction, which I had begun to study here so that I can support myself and Prue," he continued.

"Ok I get it, you are not abandoning us, but it still hurts that you are going to be so far away," Buffy cut in. "I know we've been having some difficulties in my trying to keep you out of the slaying, but you kind of proved how helpful you can be during the Mayor business. I guess I am kinda nervous about you being involved in something just as dangerous as keeping the Hellmouth shut," she admitted.

"Don't worry Buffy. I won't be jumping head in first, as I will have to be more careful in how I try and help you and the sisters or I may end up dead, before my child is born and I have no intent to do that," Xander said with a sigh. "I promise I'll be careful and I will visit and call as often as I can, but for now my priority is elsewhere ok?" he stated.

The girls slowly nodded, with Willow quickly launching herself into his arms, trying hard not to cry. The idea of been separated by such a large distance was hard for her to fathom and she did not know how she would deal with not being able to see her best friend as often, as she had been used to since befriending him.

Even with the rocky patch their friendship had just gone through, thanks to the fluke, she still thought of him as her best friend and did not want to lose him, but she knew in her heart, that he had to go. She found it hard to think of Xander as a father, but was sure he would be a good one and she couldn't wait to see the child when it was born.

For the rest of the day the group discussed what would happen in the next few days. They all realized nothing would be the same again now and that it had all changed. They thought that maybe this change would have more positive results than the other changes they had gone through.

(Halliwell Mansion)

Prue lay on her bed wondering when Xander would move to San Francisco. She was nervous and edgy about how she would be able to continue to fight the demons, the more her pregnancy went on. Soon she would not be able to move as before and she would become a liability to her sisters. She needed to think long and hard on what they could do, to ensure their safety when that time came. She turned over and began to fall asleep dreaming of a much brighter future where the demons were all gone and she, Xander and their child lived in peace, as well as her sisters.


	5. Chapter 5

Fateful Encounter Chapter 5

(Sunnydale)

Xander lay on his bed and was thinking over what would happen in the next few days.

He would move to San Francisco in the next five days. Half his stuff had already been moved to his new apartment and he was getting somewhat nervous, as his time in Sunnydale drew to a close.

Facing his parents and informing them of his upcoming parenthood had been hard. His father had gone on a rant and tried to imply how stupid he was and the he has gone one worse by insulting Prue, which almost resulted that he hit his father. However Giles, who had gone with him along with Joyce, who had been brought up to speed as well, had stopped him, before doing it himself.

The look in Giles' eyes had been dark, as he looked down on the elder Harris and he guessed a lot of why he was unsure of his ability to be a good father had been made clear.

His mother had been much more understanding and even happy to hear she was to be a grandmother in the next nine months.

This conversation had also revealed the truth of Sunnydale to his mother, who whilst shocked and horrified had also realized it made a lot of sense regarding the high rate.

The news that this was how Jessie had been killed had hurt them both and reopened old wounds. The relationship between the two families had once been close. Sadly that had changed once Jessie had been killed. The lack of information on how he had died had caused a great distance and mistrust to form, and then the year before, Jessie's family had left Sunnydale. Not that he could blame them.

They had more trouble when his father had woken up and a new argument broke out. The most shocking thing was the attempt by his father to hit his mother. Again Giles interceded and stopped him hard. This time the conversation had shifted to getting his mother divorced, as it was clear she was not safe here any longer.

Xander was reluctant to talk about his families past, but Joyce soon got past his defensive attitude and he and his mother explained their past. For Giles and Joyce this was a shocking time, but it explained so much about what they knew of Xander's attitude over the years. They assured him that the way he had been brought up would not transfer to him, when Prue gave birth to his child.

Over the next three days Jessica Harris had filed for a divorce, with the help of Joyce, who had called in her ex-husband Hank who happened to be a lawyer to take up the case.

Buffy was happy to see her father again after being so long apart. Charges were also placed for the abuse both Xander and Jessie had endured. Of course this also made him confess his past to Prue and her sisters, as well as Tara and Leo.

After all was said and done he felt better than he ever had, now that his past had been resolved. Prue had not reacted as he suspected she might. She had been supportive and understanding, as had Tara who shared a similar background and that had helped them deepen their friendship.

Now his mother would soon be single and his father was headed for a jail term of no less than ten years for the constant beating and abuse he had heaped upon him and Jessica.

His mother had promised not to take any chances at night in Sunnydale. Another good thing to come out of this had been the friendship that had developed between his mother, Joyce and Giles. So he knew she would have some help when he left.

His own friendships with Buffy and the others had deepened with the revelations, which only Willow had known about before. A few old wounds had been closed and they could finally move on.

(Halliwell manor)

Prue watched as her mother and grams appeared, as she finally worked up the nerve to summon them. By her side were Phoebe and Piper plus Leo and Tara. Soon Xander would move to San Francisco permanently and they would hopefully be able to build a lasting relationship, before their child was born.

Now she had to confront her mother and grams with this life changing event. Although as Phoebe had mentioned she was sure they had been watching events unfold from their place in heaven, as she waited for them to fully appear and step out of the summoning circle, her mind drifted to what Leo had told her and Xander about what the elders had said.

(Flashback, Halliwell manor five days ago)

Prue smiled and greeted Xander with a small hug, after Leo had orbed him in. Leo had stated that he had a lot to discuss with them from his talk with the elders and so it was time to learn what they knew. Xander seemed a little nervous, but otherwise a lot better from when she had dropped the bomb of her been pregnant on him. They had talked since then and a lot more had been sorted out between them.

They sat and listened as Leo explained how much of a surprise this was to the elders, as no one had seen this event coming. That it was going to change everything, not that it was such a bad thing depending on what would have happened.

Explaining to Xander about the dormant abilities he and his child had took a lot longer to get through. Making it clear that he did not have to be worried about possession from either of them was the main thing. Combined with the power of the Charmed line, both Prue and Xander came to understand how powerful their child would be.

It made them worry slightly, what kind of response the news of this child would evoke from the underworld, once it got out and it would eventually get out, they both knew that.

The added news of a whitelighter being appointed to Tara and Xander was also news. Xander wondered just who they would get, as he had thought he would only be dealing with Leo. In the end they had a lot more to talk about and deal with, but it also gave them more time to bond, as they spent the rest of the day together.

(Halliwell Manor)

Prue shook her head and concentrated, as finally her mother and grams stepped out of the summoning circle and greeted her with happy and cheerful smiles. This confirmed in her mind that Phoebe had been correct and they had been keeping an eye on them. So that meant they knew she was pregnant and expecting a child. That they were smiling meant they were not angry or disappointed in her for her slip up, in having unprotected sex during a drunken one night stand.

"Hey mum, I take it you know why we summoned you?" Prue finally spoke.

Patricia smiled at her eldest daughter. She detected the slight nervous tone in her voice "Of course I do Prue. You are pregnant and about to make me a grandmother," she replied. "Yes it all came about due to a drunken one night stand, but in the end you and Alex connected so well that it was not that much of a surprise," she explained, relieving some of the worry Prue had felt. "I think the idea of you having a child is wonderful news." Grams quickly agreed to that she was very happy to see another generation of Halliwell's born to continue their family.

"Considering how things could have gone I'm glad as well, and you are right Xander and I did connect," Prue agreed. "I'm glad you're not disappointed in me," she added.

Patricia smiled and pulled Prue into a comforting hug. "Oh Prue, of course I am not disappointed in you. All your life you've had responsibilities thrust upon you, especially in helping to raise your sisters after I died. You've tried so hard to make yourself someone they can look up to and you succeeded," she explained, hoping to reassure her eldest with that statement. "This act of freedom was along time in coming and whilst not something you planned, it may have brought you the one thing you wanted. A family and someone to love, a partner," she continued to press the point.

Prue could not fault her mother's argument, as it was exactly what she wanted deep down inside her. She was fed up of not having someone to love and to share her life with. Since Andy's death, her romantic attempts had all failed as she became consumed with her dedication to being a charmed one.

Now she had found someone in the same business and she wanted more than anything for it to succeed.

"Now you're going to have to be careful from this point on Prue. Being pregnant is going to make fighting demons harder," Patricia warned her, as they all sat down. "I think that maybe it would be best to tell you a big secret, which may be helpful to you all, especially once you progress to a point were fighting demons is impossible," she said. She already had discussed, telling her daughters about the existence of their half sister, with her mother.

The sisters exchanged unsure and confused looks, not exactly understanding what their mother meant by this. It didn't exactly sound bad but clearly something had been kept back from them. Leo leaned back, also wondering what was going on. As far as he knew the Halliwell line had no secrets at this point in time.

Tara guessed that whatever was about to be discussed was going to change the lives of the sisters again. She moved to leave as this was not for her to hear, but Patricia assured her that it was okay for her to stay.

Patricia took a deep breath and after exchanging one last look with her mother, she launched into the story of Paige, her daughter with her whitelighter Sam.

To say the sisters were shocked at the knowledge they had another sister was an understatement, but what really hurt was the fact that she was unaware of her connection to them. All Paige had was some speculations on who her real family was.

Their mother explained why they had put Paige up for adoption, as well as kept the truth from them, but now it was necessary to bring Paige home and begin her training in her powers, so when Prue could no longer fight, she could be replaced by Paige and keep the power of three active.

At the end the sisters forgave their mother and grams for keeping these facts from them for so long. They understood that it was all done to protect Paige and they would make plans to bring Paige in, once Xander had completed his move.

Prue went to bed that night wondering what her half sister was like and what she would say, when confronted with the truth of her existence and the fact she was a witch.

(Graveyard)

Cole sat down and considered what he had seen while spying on the sisters. They had a new friend, who was hanging around them. He did not know or recognize her from his original contact with the sisters. He was sure she was either a fellow witch or someone who needed protection. She seemed very friendly with the whole group, including Leo. Then there was the new man who seemed close to Prue as he had seen the day before.

Clearly a lot had happened since he had been forced to leave Phoebe. He would have to consider all this before making his presence known to Phoebe.

He sighed as he thought back to happier times, when he and Phoebe were at their best.

He had never expected his mission to get close and then kill the sisters would change his life so much. Now he was in exile from both, but he hoped he would be able to get back in with the sisters if he was lucky. He closed his eyes and drifted into a light sleep. He had learned not to sleep to heavy, just in case any bounty hunters got close to him. He had to be ready to move at any time.

(Sunnydale, five days later)

Xander tried to ignore the pain he felt inside at leaving the gang behind, but this was the best thing he could do. He needed to be in San Francisco with Prue and their child when it was born.

Willow cried as did his mother, who was close to finally being free from the torment of being married to Tony Harris forever, thanks to the efforts of Hank Summers.

Buffy also was fighting tears, but doing a better job of it than the others. He embraced them all and reminded them if they needed him, all they had to do was call him and he would come.

Leo was waiting to orb him to his new apartment; so far they were still waiting for someone to be appointed to him and Tara, as their whitelighter.

"Take care Xander and watch your back," Buffy said, as they hugged.

"Goes double for you Buffy," he replied, before he thanked Giles for all his help.

He took a final look at them all, before moving over to Leo. He nodded at him. Leo just smiled and orbed them out. He knew that a new chapter was beginning for both the sisters and the Sunnydale crew and he wondered just how this would all turn out.

To be continued

(Authors Note: This is the end of this story, as I have decided to make it a series of stories. The next part in the series will start in a few weeks, as some personal events will prevent me from getting to it earlier. I thank everyone who has reviewed and read this fic. I hope you will pick up the sequel when I post it.)


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